Cowell College
Opened in 1965 as the founding college of UC Santa Cruz, Cowell sits atop a hill at the heart of campus with sweeping views of Monterey Bay. Students enjoy community spaces like the Page Smith Library, Mary Holmes Fireside Lounge, Eloise Pickard Smith Gallery, and nearby Stevenson Coffee House. Housing options include residence halls arranged around open lawns, and apartments for continuing students.
Cowell’s required first-year core course: Imagining Justice
Cowell residence halls
Cowell’s residence halls are three to four stories tall, and arranged in two quads—upper and lower—with buildings facing one another across open lawns. Freshmen are generally assigned to live in their college’s residence halls.
Eligibility: Open to new and continuing students
- Each residence hall houses 65–101 students
- Room types: single, triple, and quad
- Floors may be single-gender or mixed-gender
- Bathrooms are all-gender and designed for privacy
- Meal plan included in the housing contract (required for residence hall students)
Residence hall floor plans
Floor plans are for general room layout and configuration. They are not exact in scale. Furniture arrangements vary by room and residence.
Triple
Quad
Each quad room is approximately 346 sq. ft. and measures 15′ x 24′ with a balcony. Furniture includes beds in a loft configuration, desks, wardrobe closets, and dressers.
Single
Cowell College has many single rooms, and first-year students are eligible for singles. Rectangle: 8’5″ wide and 11′ deep with a total floor space of 88.85 sq. ft. and two small windows. Box: 10’8″ wide and 8’5″ deep with a total floor space of 89.7 sq. ft. and one large window.
Cowell apartments
Cowell’s apartments offer an independent living experience for continuing students, conveniently located close to the Bay Tree Campus Store and East Field House. Units vary in layout, with most housing 7 to 8 students in furnished bedrooms with shared living space. No meal plan is required.
Eligibility: Open to continuing students only
- Home to approximately 200 continuing students
- Most apartments house 7–8 students
- Each unit includes a full kitchen, bathroom, and shared living room
- Bedrooms in apartments are single-gender, but apartments may be single-gender or mixed-gender
- Meal plan not required (not included in housing contract), though voluntary meal plans are available
Apartment Virtual tours
Virtual tours are for general room layout and configuration. Furniture arrangements vary by room and residence.
View our virtual tours on Youtube:
Apartment rates
Community living options
When you complete your housing application, you will be asked to rank your preferred room types, as well as indicate interest in specific community living options. At Cowell, these include floor or apartment gender options, a Social Justice themed residence hall community, and two Campuswide Theme Housing communities.
Floor and apartment gender options
Location: Residence halls and apartments
Eligibility: Available to both new and continuing students
- LGBTQIA+ Housing: Open to all students, including students of all identities within the LGBTQIA+ community and allies. This option fosters an open and supportive living environment. Available only in mixed-gender areas.
- Mixed-Gender Housing: Students of any gender live on the same floor or in the same apartment. Bedrooms are single-gender, while bathrooms may be designated mixed-gender with private toilet and shower stalls.
- Single Gender Housing: Students of a single gender live together, with bathrooms primarily used by individuals who identify with that gender. Availability is based on demand, and may not be offered in all room types or theme options.
Social Justice
Location: Cowell residence halls
Eligibility: New and continuing Cowell applicants
This themed community brings together students who are interested in diversity, social justice, and equity. Residents learn from each other in a culturally rich and diverse environment that celebrates the diversity of cultures and identities of others while moving society toward social justice.
ABC Themed Housing
Location: Cowell Apartments.
Eligibility: Open to continuing students of any college affiliation; supplementary application questions required.
ABC is one of UCSC’s Campuswide Theme Housing options, with communities located at several colleges—including this one at Cowell. Directly connected to the Office of African, Black, Caribbean (ABC) Student Success and the African American Resource & Cultural Center, and designed for all students whose interests span historical, present-day, and future experiences of predominantly African, Black, and Caribbean peoples, these communities intentionally create space for all students to feel connected, safer, and supported in a community centered on the experiences of African, Black, Caribbean peoples.
Learn more about ABC Themed Housing
Students interested in ABC Themed Housing must select it on the housing application and complete a few supplemental questions.
Substance Free Recovery Housing
Location: Cowell Apartments.
Eligibility: Open to students of any college affiliation; supplementary application questions required.
Substance Free Recovery Housing offers students in recovery an opportunity to live in a supportive, substance-free community. This unique community apartment fosters camaraderie, mutual support, and accountability, with all residents fully committed to living substance-free. The residents are supported by The Cove, UCSC’s Harm Reduction and Recovery Community Center where professional and student staff offer wellness coaching, mentorship, health resources, as well as organizing substance-free events and activities to strengthen the community.
Learn more about Substance Free Recovery Housing
Students interested in Substance Free Recovery Housing must select it on the housing application and complete a few supplemental questions.
Nearby dining options
Amenities and nearby resources
In addition to the amenities common to all of UCSC’s colleges—like laundry facilities and a secure mailroom—Cowell is home to a variety of unique features that help define its community.
Dining options
UCSC Dining has lots of locations across campus—these are closest to Cowell:
- Cowell/Stevenson Dining Hall
- Stevenson Coffee House
More food options close to Cowell:
- Cowell Coffee Shop: For the Peoples, a non-transactional Basic Needs café
- Food trucks at Cowell Triangle (rotating schedule)
Community spaces and resources
- Computer lab
- Cowell Press
- Mary Holmes Fireside Lounge
- Miriam Ellis International Playhouse
- Entertainment Co-op
- Page Smith Library
- Eloise Pickard Smith Gallery
Community spaces
Campuswide Theme Housing
Campuswide Theme Housing options are open to all students and are centered around shared interests, academics, community engagement, and support.
Location: Various locations across campus.
Eligibility: Open to students of any college affiliation; a few supplementary questions are required in the housing application.
Mail and contact info
Student mailing address
If you’re a Cowell College resident, use the address below as your campus mailing address. Be sure to include your box number!
Student’s Name
UCSC, Cowell College, #XXX
501 Cowell Service Road
Santa Cruz, CA 95064-1119
You’ll receive your mailbox number at move-in. Early deliveries cannot be accepted at the residential facilities.
Need to ship items before you arrive?
Learn about Collegeboxes and pre-arrival shipping.
Mailroom information
Hours:
Mondays – Fridays 11:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Saturdays 11 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Contact: For additional mailroom questions, please call 831-459-2253 to speak with a Mailroom Supervisor, or email cwcollas@ucsc.edu.
Housing verification letter
After move-in, you can obtain a Housing Verification letter in the Housing Portal if you need to demonstrate that you currently live in UCSC university housing in order to open a bank account, obtain a driver’s license or identification card, or for any other need.
Finding Cowell on campus
Cowell is located near the center of campus, adjacent to Stevenson College. Use the map above to explore the area or get directions.
Who to contact
Cowell College housing office
Questions about room and roommate assignments, or day-to-day residential life:
Phone: (831) 459-2173
Email: cwst-housing@ucsc.edu
Website: Cowell College
UCSC Student Housing Services
Questions about housing application/contract records and room-and-board billing:
Email: housing@ucsc.edu